Some of the things that drain your energy never ask you to lift a finger, and they still send you a bill.
What are you paying for with your most precious currency?
I’ve become increasingly fascinated by the things that exhaust me without requiring me to move a muscle.
A difficult conversation I keep replaying. A decision I haven’t made. Something on the calendar I don’t want to do but haven’t had the “brass eggs” to cancel. The cluttered corner I pass twelve times a day while thinking, “I really need to deal with that.” The clickbait I continue reading when I know better.
None of these things has me running wind sprints, yet somehow they can leave me feeling as though I have.
Turns out, everything we allow into our lives sends us a bill.
The Invisible Withdrawals
For years, when I thought about energy, I mostly thought about the physical kind. Had I slept enough? Exercised? Eaten well? Was I drinking enough water? Those things matter enormously, especially in this chapter of life, but I’ve come to understand that my energy has a much larger ecosystem.
My calendar affects it. So do my surroundings and my relationships. What I read affects it. The conversations I participate in affect it. So do unfinished decisions, obligations I’ve outgrown, expectations I’m still trying to meet, and the astonishing amount of information available to me every waking minute.
Five Minutes Of Time, Months Of Mental Real Estate
Some things charge our physical energy. Others draw from us mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. Some nibble away so subtly we don’t even notice the withdrawal. And some take only five minutes of time but occupy mental real estate for months.
Baby, that’s a lousy lease agreement.
Not Everything That Drains You Is Bad
But there’s a twist. I’m not suggesting we eliminate every tiring thing in our lives. Some of the most worthwhile things I do require enormous amounts of energy.
Exercise can tire my body while making me feel fantastic. A challenging creative project can drain my brain and simultaneously light me up. Showing up for someone I love during a difficult time can be emotionally exhausting and deeply meaningful. There are things worth spending ourselves on.
Is This Worth What It Costs Me?
That’s very different from the depleted feeling I get from spending energy on something that no longer feels aligned with who I am now. So instead of asking, “Does this drain me?” I’ve started asking, “Is this worth what it costs me?”
Your Energy Is Telling You Something
I’ve spent enough years proving how much I can carry. Now, I’m far more interested in choosing what’s worth carrying. At this age, I have zero interest in wasting my energy or spending it thoughtlessly. It’s precious, and recognizing that doesn’t make me cautious or fragile. Quite the opposite. I want to use my energy spectacularly.
I want energy on tap, on demand, for moving my body, loving my people, creating things that matter, laughing until my face hurts, growing, traveling, contributing, surfing, and for adventures I haven’t even imagined yet. These are the things I want to spend my energy on, which makes me mighty curious about exactly where else it’s going.
Questions To Uncover The Things That Drain Your Energy
Not to judge. Just to notice.
- What leaves me feeling expanded, and what consistently leaves me depleted?
- Where am I spending precious energy maintaining something I don’t even want anymore?
- What am I tolerating simply because I’ve gotten used to tolerating it?
- What thoughts do I have on repeat that are keeping me energetically connected to something unwanted?
Check The Bill
For a few days, try paying attention to your energy the way you might pay attention to your bank account. Notice the deposits and withdrawals. Notice the recurring charges. Notice the subscriptions you forgot you had.
You don’t have to immediately fix, cancel, confront, reorganize, or Marie Kondo your entire existence. Awareness comes first. You can’t protect what you haven’t noticed.
Energy Is A Currency Worth Protecting
Perhaps that’s one of the privileges of this chapter of life. We’ve accumulated enough experience to know that time matters. Energy matters at that same level because it determines how fully we can engage in the life we choose.
Your attention, vitality, creativity, and peace are among the most valuable currencies you possess.
Spend accordingly.
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About the Author:
Diane Amelia Read is an experienced growth partner, health and mindset advisor, stereotype disrupter, and surfer wannabe. She’s a Reiki Master Teacher, podcaster, StreetWise MBA graduate, and samba singer, Law of Attraction mentor, and motivational speaker.
Her mission is to make the world a more loving and interconnected place by helping women love themselves first so they can bring their most joy-filled awesomeness to everyone and everything else without depleting themselves
As a Mind & Body Alchemist For Women Over 50, Diane Amelia’s unique personal transformation toolbox is chock full of options for midlife women ready for sustainable improvement in their health, confidence, mindset, income, community, or all of the above.
